Convertible article of furniture such as a sofa, settee and chair



Apnl 5, 1960 c. TODOROVIC 2,931,052

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SUCH AS A SOFA, SETTEE. AND CHAIR FiledApril 26, 1957 INVE N TOR B CEDOMIR TODOROVI C United States PatentCONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SUCH AS A SOFA, SETTEE AND CHAIRCedomir Todorovic, Brooklyn, NY.

Application April 26, 1957, Serial No. 655,380

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-29) This invention relates to a convertible article offurniture such as a sofa, settee and chair.

The invention applies to articles of furniture which may be used bothfor sitting and reclining purposes. The furniture is convertible in thesense that it may be used as a sofa, settee, chair or the like and maybe converted for use as a couch or bed. The invention is not limited toany particular style of furniture or to any particular material of whichit may be made. The particular structure shown in the drawing anddescribed in the specification is purely illustrative and should not beviewed as limiting the invention in any way whatsoever, subject only tothe limitations imposed by the claim.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a convertiblearticle of furniture which may be used either for sitting or recliningpurposes and which is pro vided with an inclined headrest. This inclinedheadrest is exposed for use only when the article of furniture isconverted for reclining purposes. When it is re-converted for sittingpurposes, the inclined headrest is itself converted either into abackrest or into a side arm, depending upon the relative location ofsaid inclined headrest on the article of furniture as a whole.

In one form of the invention, the article of furniture is a sofa havinga backrest and a pair of side arms. The back-rest may be converted intoan inclined headrest. Each of the side arms may also be converted intoan inclined headrest. Thus, when the sofa is opened up to serve as abed, the user has his choice of reclining lengthwise thereon with hishead at either end of the sofa or he may recline transversely of thesofa.

As has already been indicated, an article of furniture, such as a sofa,made in accordance with this invention, may be provided with threeinclined headrests, one at the back and convertible into a backrest andthe other two at the two ends of the sofa and convertible into sidearms. But this is merely illustrative and it will be understood that asofa may be made in accordance with this invention with only twoconvertible headrests, for example, one at each end and none in theback. By the same token, a sofa may be made in accordance with thisinvention with only a single headrest, situated, for example, at theback and convertible into a headrest. In such case, the sofa would haveno side arms at all or it may be provided with conventional side armswhich do not convert into inclined headrests of the character hereindescribed and claimed.

The purpose and function of each such inclined headrest is to provide aninclined head support which would take the place of a conventionalpillow. It is to be understood that the inclined headrest herein claimedis upholstered, padded or-otherwise cushioned so as to provide acomfortable support for the head. To be sure, pillows may be used tosupplement such headrest and to provide a more steeply inclined supportfor the head, should this be desired. But under normal conditions of usethe headrest herein claimed may be used alone and without the aid ofconventional pillows.

2,931,052 Patented Apr. 5, 1960 Stated briefly, a headrest made inaccordance with this invention consists of two parts: The first is fixedto the article of furniture and is not intended to be moved relativethereto. The second is hingedly connected to the first part and ismovable to and between two positions. In the first position, the twoparts are superimposed flat upon each other and they then function notas a headrest but as a backrest or side arm as the case may be. In thesecond position, the movable part is moved 180 degrees away from itsoriginal position and into alignment with the fixed part along theirrespective surfaces which previously had been superimposed fiat uponeach other. These surfaces, when in alignment, are continuous with eachother and they are inclined relative to the horizontal to any desiredangle such as 30 degrees. This angle of inclination may be varied inaccordance with ing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a convertible sofa made in accordancewith this invention, portions thereof being broken away to expose thehinged elements thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of said sofa showingone of the side arms of said sofa converted to an inclined headrest.

Fig. 3 is another fragmentary perspective view showing one of the backcorners of said sofa, wherein the backrest is converted to a headrest.

Fig. '4 is an end view of said sofa, showing the backrest converted to aheadrest and showing the seat portion converted to a footrest.

Sofa 10 merely illustrates the various articles of furniture to whichthe present invention applies. 1 The particular style, shape, dimensionsand other qualities and aspects of this sofa as shown in the drawing areintended merely to illustrate and not to limit the application of thisinvention. The basic construction of the sofa, the nature of itsupholstery, the type of materials used, are all subject to individualpreferences and requirements. Only the convertible features shown in thedrawing and hereinafter described in detail are claimed as theinvention.

Sofa 10 has a backrest 12 mounted on a frame 14 and a pair of side arms16 and 18 which are also mounted on said frame 14. In addition, there isa seat portion 20 which is also mounted on the frame and which extendssubstantially the full distance between the two side arms and from thefront of the sofa to said backrest 12;

As shown in the drawing, both side arms are provided with theconvertible feature herein claimed. The backrest is also provided withsaid feature. But this is purely illustrative. For example, the sofamight be made with only a convertible backrest and with conventionalside arms. Or it may be made with a conventional backrest and with twoside arms as shown, namely, with the convertible feature. Anotherpossibility is to provide the sofa with only one convertible side armand with or without a convertible back-rest. These variations arematters of preference and individual requirements.

Turning now to the convertible feature of the present invention andparticularly to side arm 16 embodying such feature, it will be notedthat said side arm comprises two separate elements joined by a hinge 22.The hinge shown is of the piano type, extending the full length of thehinged elements but this too is illustrative and other types is theupper part of the side arm on which a person sitting on the sofa wouldrest his arm.

It is important to note that the fixed portion 16b of side arm 16 isprovided with an inclined surface 16c. This inclined surface may bedisposed at any desiredangle relative to the horizontal, for example, anangle of 30 degrees or a smaller or larger angle. The test is what anglewould be most comfortable in supporting the head of a reclining person.

Along the upper edge of fixed portion 16b of the side arm 16 is thehinge 22 and it will be noted that said hinge is disposed transverselyof the sofa as a whole. The movable part 16a of said side arm is securedto said hinge 22 in the manner shown and it will now be observed thatsaid movable part 16a is provided with a surface 16d which lies flatupon the inclined surface 160 when the movable part 16a is in its closedor Fig. 1 position. The movable portion 16a may be swung incounterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 a full 180 degrees to theopen position shown in Fig. 2. Stop means may be provided to preventmovement of said movable part beyond said 180 degree position. In theillustrated form of the invention, wall portion 16c of the movable part16a will abut the wall portion 167 of the fixed part 16b to prevent suchmovement beyond 180 degrees.

It will now be observed that when the movable part 16a of the side arm16 is pivoted to its open position as shown in Fig. 2, its surface 160'is aligned with inclined surface 16a to form a substantially continuousinclined surface which is well and fully adapted to serve as a headrestfor a person reclining on the sofa.

The other side arm 18 shown in this illustrated form of the invention isalso provided with a hinge 24 and a fixed portion 18a and a movableportion 18b. The fixed portion 18a is either part of or connected to theframe 14 and the hinge is secured thereto. The movable portion 18b issupported by the hinge and is pivotally movable a full 180 degrees fromits closed position shown in Fig. 1 to an open position corresponding tothat shown in Fig. 2.

The backrest 12 is of a similar construction, comprising a fixed portion12a which is either part, of or secured to the frame 14, a hinge 26secured to said fixed portion 12a, and a movable portion 12b which issupported by said hinge. Figs. 1 and 2 show the movable portion 12b ofthe backrest in closed position. It will be observed in Figs. 3 and 4that the movable portion 12b may pivot an angular distance of 180degrees to an open position corresponding to the open position of theside arm shown in Fig. 2.

The wall portion 12c of the movable portion 12b of the backrest abutsthe wall portion 12d of the fixed part 12a of the backrest when saidmovable portion is in its open position to prevent movement thereofbeyond the 180 degree limit above mentioned. It will now be seen thatfixed portion 12a of the backrest has an inclined surface 12:: and itwill be understood that the angle of inclination may be 30 degrees orany other suitable angle. By the same token, the movable portion 12b hasa surface 12] which lies flat upon inclined surface 12e when the movablepart 12b of the backrest is in'its closed position as shown in Fig. 2;When said movable portion 12b isin its open position as shown in Figs. 3and 4, surface 12f becomes aligned with inclined surface 12e, therebyforminga substantially continuous inclined surface against whichapersonreclining on the sofa, transversely thereof, may rest his head.

In connection with the last mentioned use of the backrest, it will beunderstood that seat 20 is mounted for movement from its Fig. 1 positionto its Fig. 4 position. In its latter position, it serves to extend thewidth of the sofa so that a person may recline thereon with his headresting on the inclined surface 12e, 12 and his legs resting on saidseat. More specifically, a hinge 30 is secured to the frame 14 along itsupper front edge and said hinge is also secured to the correspondingfront edge of seat 20. The seat may pivot on said hinge a distance ofdegrees from its Fig. 1 position toits Fig. 4 position. In order tosupport the seat in its Fig. 4 position, folding legs 32 are provided.These legs are pivotally connected to seat 20 by means of pins 34 or anyother suitable means. The legs may fold into recesses 36 formed in theseat to be stored out of the way when the seat is in its closed positionas shown in Fig. l. The legs may be pivoted out of these recesses whenthe seat is brought to its Fig. 4 position in order to support the seatin such position.

The foregoing is illustrative of a preferred form of this invention andit will be understood that this preferred form may be modified and otherforms may be provided within the broad spirit of the invention and thebroad scope of the claim.

I claim:

An article of furniture which is convertible for reclining purposes,said article of furniture being provided with three inclined headrestsadapted for use when said article of furniture is converted forreclining purposes,

each of said inclined headrests consisting of an inclined portion whichis fixed to the main body of said article of furniture and a secondinclined portion which is hingedly connected to said first inclinedportion for' pivotal move ment about a horizontal pivotal axis, saidsecond inclined portion being movable into alignment with the firstinclined portion to provide a continuous inclined surface therewithadapted to function as a headrest, said second inclined portion beingmovable into superimposed position relative to the first inclinedportion to convert the article of furniture for sitting purposes withoutan inclined headrest one of said inclined headrests being provided alongthe back and one of the others along each end of said article offurniture, the headrest at the back of the article of furniture beingadapted to function as a backrest when the second inclined portionthereof is superimposed upon the first inclined portion thereof, the

headrests at the ends of said article of furniture being.

adapted to function" as side arms when the second inclined portionthereof is superimposed upon the first'inclined portion thereof, saidarticle of furniture being also provided with a seat which is hingedlyconnected along its forward edge tothe forward edge of the article offurniture, said seat being swingable 180 degrees from its normal seatingposition on the article of furniture to a forwardly projecting positionin front of the article of furniture, to extend its'proportions andenable it to serve as a bed, a plurality of legs being pivotally securedto said seat within recesses formed in said seat, said legs beingnormally disposed within said recesses in a common plane with said seatwhen the seat is in normal seating position on the article of furniture,said legs being swingable to positions at right angles to said seat inits forwardly projecting position in order to support the'seat in saidposition.

References Cited in the file'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

